The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is a stealth adventure game developed by Daedalic Entertainment and released on PC in 2023. Players take control of the conflicted character Gollum in a single-player experience set during the events of The Fellowship of the Ring, focusing on his journey through Middle-earth locations such as Mordor and Mirkwood while pursuing the One Ring.
Gameplay
The core experience centers on linear level navigation that blends platforming with stealth elements. Gollum climbs rock faces, grabs ledges, swings across gaps, and moves through tight spaces to progress. Stealth requires staying in shadows, using a vision ability to highlight enemy positions, and throwing rocks to distract or disable light sources. Detection typically leads to an immediate failure state and checkpoint reload. Limited stealth takedowns are available against certain enemies without helmets, though these carry high risk of exposure. A morality system tracks choices that shift control between the more calculating Gollum personality and the gentler Smeagol side, influencing dialogue and some narrative branches without altering core mechanics.
Levels emphasize precise movement and careful pathing over open exploration or combat. Tasks often involve following NPCs, collecting items, or completing specific objectives within restricted environments. The game includes no traditional weapons or fighting systems beyond the occasional takedown.
Game Modes
The title offers only a single-player campaign mode with no multiplayer options or additional modes such as co-op or competitive play. Progression follows the main story in a linear fashion across multiple chapters, with checkpoints allowing restarts after failures. No seasonal content, free modes, or post-launch expansions beyond optional soundtrack and art-related additions have been confirmed.
Story and Atmosphere
The narrative explores Gollum's internal conflict and backstory in greater detail than the films or books alone provide. Players visit key locations including the Mines of Mordor, Barad-dur, Cirith Ungol, and Mirkwood, encountering original characters that expand on Tolkien lore. Voice work and environmental storytelling highlight the character's split personality, though technical issues sometimes interrupt immersion. The included original soundtrack features 17 orchestral tracks composed by Jun Broome with contributions from Broome Stella Music Collective, performed with strings, percussion, woodwinds, and vocals.
Technical State and Updates
At launch the game faced widespread reports of crashes, performance problems, and dated visuals across platforms. Subsequent patches addressed some stability concerns, but the overall experience remains tied to its 2023 release version with no ongoing seasons or major content updates noted in recent periods. On PC the title runs on standard hardware with controller support available.
Is It Worth Playing?
Reception has been mixed, with Steam user reviews sitting at 41 percent positive and aggregate critic scores reflecting significant criticism of repetitive level design, controls, and technical problems. Fans of Tolkien's work may appreciate the focused look at Gollum's perspective and the atmospheric locations, while players seeking refined stealth or platforming mechanics will likely encounter frustration. The game suits those interested in narrative-driven single-player adventures who can tolerate its limitations, particularly if purchased at a discount. The dedicated soundtrack application provides a separate way to experience the orchestral score outside of gameplay.
